Toronto Rock owner, president and general manager Jamie Dawick today announced the re-signing of Rock forward Stephan Leblanc to a 4-year deal and goaltender Nick Rose to a 3-year contract.
“Nick and Steph are two of the key pieces of the franchise in the past and moving forward,” said Dawick. “It’s important to get them signed, Steph was a pending UFA and this 4-year deal takes him to the completion of current CBA. Rosey is here for another 3 years, solidifying a position of strength on our roster. It’s great to have them locked up for the next few years”
Leblanc, a 30-year old native of Dundas, Ontario, has played his entire 7-year NLL career with the Toronto Rock after being drafted in the first round, 11th overall in the 2009 NLL Draft. In his first season in the league in 2010, Leblanc captured the NLL’s rookie of the year honours and was a key component to getting the Rock back to the NLL Champion’s Cup final for the first time since 2005. The lefty power forward has one NLL ring in his jewelry box, winning the 2011 Champion’s Cup with the Rock and scoring the game-winning goal in the title game.
While Leblanc is big part of putting the ball in the net, at the other end of the floor Rose has become the last line of defence and the man responsible for keeping the ball out of the net.
At 28-years of age, Rose has established himself as one of the best goaltenders in the world. His performance with a struggling Rock squad in 2016 earned him a nomination for the league’s goalie of the year award. He finished among the league leaders in goals-against average and save percentage and was the man between the pipes for all five Rock wins this past season.
“To be back for three years, it’s a good feeling, I think we have a pretty good thing going in Toronto,” said Rose. “I know all the boys that are returning are hungry to get back to the top.”
Rose also has a relationship with new Rock head coach Matt Sawyer that dates back to his Junior A playing days with the Orangeville Northmen where they won Minto Cup Canadian Junior A Championships together in 2008 and 2009.
“I’ve been around Matt a lot, in junior and with Toronto,” explained Rose. “He’s been the brains behind the scenes with video and preparation in recent years with the Rock. Every time we’re together, good things seem to happen so I’m excited to play for him again.”
The NLL’s free agency period officially opens on August 1st and teams will then be able to sign restricted and unrestricted free agents that finished the 2016 season on other team’s rosters
